2015-2016 Ford 6.7L Powerstroke Charging & Starting Parts

Charging and starting on the 2015-2016 Ford 6.7L Powerstroke

Every diesel Super Duty from these years came with dual 12-volt batteries, each rated 750 cold-cranking amps and 78 amp-hours. That holds from the XL work truck up to the King Ranch and the Platinum, which was new for 2015. The standard alternator is a 157-amp unit. On the diesel, Ford also offered a single 200-amp extra-heavy-duty alternator or a dual-alternator setup that totals 357 amps. A 110-volt outlet and four upfitter switches were on the options list, and the rapid-heat supplemental cab heater required the alternator upgrade. The belt changes with the setup: single-alternator trucks use JK-81353, dual-alternator trucks use JK-81413, and both run the BT-131 tensioner. Cold starts on the 6.7L Powerstroke lean on glow plugs, one per cylinder, and every 2015-2016 engine takes the 96 mm Motorcraft ZD-18.

What fails and why

Here is the straight answer: the sources we work from do not document a recurring alternator or starter failure for 2015-2016 trucks. That is good news, but it means a dead starter or a weak charge on one of these trucks is a diagnosis job, not a known-defect swap. Check the batteries, the cables and the connections, then test charging output, before you buy the big part. One starting problem is documented. The glow plug changed length for engines built after December 1, 2012, and putting the shorter ZD-17 in a later engine is a known parts error. The symptoms are a hard cold start and glow-plug codes. If your truck cranks but is hard to fire on a cold morning and is setting glow-plug codes, confirm it has ZD-18 plugs before you blame the starter, and replace them as a set. The glow-plug tip breakage you may read about was an early 2011-2012 production defect, mostly on chassis cabs, not a 2015-2016 problem.

Stock replacement vs. upgrade

If your truck has the standard 157-amp alternator and you are adding a plow, a winch or upfit equipment, the documented path is more output. Ford's own answer was the 200-amp single or the 357-amp dual setup, and a high-output aftermarket alternator follows the same logic. For a truck that just needs its charging system back to normal, a replacement sized to your current setup is enough. Starters are simpler. The starters in this collection are gear-reduction units; pick one on fitment range and finish, since there is no documented weak point on these years that one design solves and another does not. Battery hold-downs and a fresh cable set are the supporting pieces: they keep both batteries secured and give the starter and alternator a sound path to work through.

What we carry

• Starters: the XDP XD254 HD gear-reduction starter in wrinkle black and the Mean Green 6696 gear-reduction starter.
• Alternators: the XDP XD352 HD high-output alternator and the Mean Green MG1627 300-amp high-output alternator.
• Battery hardware: billet hold-downs from S&B and SPE Motorsport, a hold-down kit from No Limit Fabrication, and the XDP XD448 HD replacement battery cable set.
• Wiring: the Fleece Performance Engineering charging circuit harness for 2011-2016 Power Stroke trucks.
• Shop supplies: Lucas Oil Sure Start starting fluid. Follow the label directions.

Fitment notes

Most parts here carry a 2011-and-up fitment range, and some run to 2022 or 2024. A few are listed only through 2016: the XDP starter, the XDP cable set and the Fleece harness. Read the year range on each product. Before you order an alternator or a belt, confirm whether your truck has the single or dual alternator setup, because dual-alternator trucks use a different belt and bracketry. Chassis cab F-350, F-450 and F-550 trucks share the 6.7L but are rated and equipped differently from the pickups, so confirm chassis cab coverage on the product page. When in doubt, verify by VIN.

Frequently asked questions

How many batteries does a 2015-2016 6.7L Powerstroke use?

Two. Ford fitted dual 12-volt batteries to every diesel Super Duty in these years, each rated 750 CCA and 78 amp-hours. When you replace them, match or beat that rating, and make sure both are clamped down with a sound hold-down.

Which alternator came on my truck?

The standard unit is 157 amps. Optional on the diesel were a single 200-amp extra-heavy-duty alternator or dual alternators totaling 357 amps. A look at the front of the engine tells you whether you have one alternator or two, and the belt number follows: JK-81353 for single, JK-81413 for dual.

Is there a known starter or alternator problem on these years?

Not one the sources document. Our research shows no recurring alternator or starter failure pattern for 2015-2016 trucks. Diagnose first: battery condition, cable condition and connections, charging output, then the part itself.

My truck is hard to start when it is cold. Is it the starter?

Not necessarily. A hard cold start with glow-plug codes points at the glow plugs, and a shorter ZD-17 plug in an engine built after December 1, 2012 is a documented mistake. Every 2015-2016 engine takes the 96 mm ZD-18, and they should be replaced as a set.

Do I need a bigger alternator for a plow or winch?

If you are adding plow, winch or upfit loads to a truck with the 157-amp alternator, more output is the documented path. Ford's own options were the 200-amp single and 357-amp dual setups, and the Mean Green MG1627 300-amp unit is an aftermarket route. Confirm your belt and bracket setup before you order.

Not sure what fits? Call the shop at the number in the header, or use the fitment checker on any product page. We install everything we sell.